Current ADSL technology for use in premises, for example a residence, allows a customer to use a conventional telephone for baseband voice and uses an Integrated Access Device (IAD) to introduce a single data line and multiple derived voice lines. The multiple derived lines are used for conventional telephones. The current technology, however, requires re-wiring of premises, for example, a residence, in order to support the multiple derived lines. For example, in a residence with line 1 in Room A and line 2 in Room B, there is no ability to receive telephone calls on line 2 in Room A or vice versa. Further, the current technology limits the use for high-speed data to a single line. The current state of the technology is such that a subscriber is unable to switch a line (baseband or derived voice) used for a particular device without physically re-connecting the particular device to another line.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/576,466, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,814 entitled “Method And Apparatus For Subscriber Line To Telephone Call Distribution” by Christopher P. Gilboy and Robert Bergman Levy (hereinafter “Gilboy”) was filed on May 23, 2000 and in that application two embodiments are described. In the first embodiment, all telephones on a premises line work as extensions to that line. Thus, if one telephone on a premises line is off-hook, other phones on the same premises line cannot receive/place calls. In the second embodiment, each telephone is considered unique. That is, no telephone is considered as an extension of another telephone thus preventing more than one household member from conversing with the party at the other end (e.g., mom, dad and son on a call with an away-from-home daughter). Further, Gilboy does not support using a regular telephone as a multi-line telephone. Thus, if a user is on a call on line one and another call comes on line two, the user needs to run over to another telephone connected to line two in order to answer the incoming call. The above application does not support a home data network or intercom functionality.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,167 entitled “Method and System for Conveying Multiple Calls on a Single Telephone Line” by Starr, filed Feb. 23, 1999 describes a method supporting multiple calls on a single twisted pair. That is, a means to provide derived lines using ADSL is described.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/001,417 filed Dec. 31, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,646 describes a network solution for an ADSL service provider using an ISD (similar to an IAD used in generic ADSL architecture). In contrast, the present invention focuses on customer premises and provides a means to support multiple telephone lines in a house wired for a single phone without the need for rewiring.